OPINION ARTICLE: "The simple pleasures of lower-tier football", by K. James, 6 August 2018.

The simple pleasures of lower-tier football (written 2013 with minor updates here and there, FC United of Manchester still plays in the National League North)

The WAFL is now similar to non-league English soccer (and lower-tier Scottish leagues), far down what in the UK is termed “the pyramid”, where games are run professionally; the clubs have traditions; and the crowds are small but dedicated. The WAFL has lost, for the most part, its army of “fair-weather fans” that used to attach themselves especially to clubs like East Perth and South Fremantle back in the day. The club diehards have remained, by and large, with the clubs except perhaps for some previously staunch West Perth fans disillusioned by the move to Arena Joondalup. The VFL/AFL era has been a real existential test of people’s loyalties. In the WAFL’s Golden Era, people would declare and pretend that they were hardcore fans of this or that WAFL club but in those days the competition was glorious and people’s loyalties were not really tested. Existentially speaking, those 800-1,000 committed supporters of each WAFL club that continue to attend WAFL games weekly have proven themselves to be the most committed WAFL club supporters by their actions. The great, traditional, ex-NSL, ethnic soccer clubs, such as Adelaide City, Marconi Stallions, Melbourne Knights, Preston Lions, South Melbourne, and Sydney United, are now relegated to the Victorian Premier League (VPL) or the equivalent competitions in the other states, and are in exactly the same position as the WAFL clubs.

Montrose 2 Elgin City 0, lower-tier Scottish soccer.

WAFL football is now still very enjoyable, but in a different way, as these days you can spread yourself out, there are empty seats often to your right and left, and the queues for the toilets, food, and beer are small and manageable. The WAFL is now like the Western Australian premier league soccer, rugby, and rugby-league competitions have always been in that the atmospheres can be wonderful partly because you can assume that all of your fellow spectators are dedicated and knowledgeable insiders! If you do not allow your mind to wander into that place of comparing the new to the old WAFL you will find that attending WAFL games today is quite enjoyable.

Interestingly, disillusioned Manchester United fans set up in June 2005 a community-based club, FC United of Manchester, which plays to small but dedicated crowds in cosy, compact stadiums in a minor league (National League North) below and outside the Football League (sixth-tier of the pyramid, five tiers below the English Premier League)[1]. Each club financial member owns one share and gets one vote regardless of her / his financial contribution(s). With an average crowd of 1,969 for the 2008-09 season, up to and including 9 November[2], FC United was then drawing around five times as many people, on average, as the typical club in its division. After moving from Gigg Lane to Broadhurst Park in May 2015, the club averaged a gate of 3,394 in 2015-16, a season-on-season increase of over 57% and the fourth highest attendance in non-League football. The club’s record home crowd is 6,731 people at Gigg Lane, Bury versus Brighton & Hove Albion, FA Cup Second Round, on 8 December 2010[3] beating the previous record of 6,023 people versus Great Harwood Town on 22 April 2006[4].

United FC is an organic and authentic community-based response to the increasing corporatization of soccer and the alienation that now exists between fans and players and between fans and administrators at English Premier League (EPL) level. The grassroots WAFL clubs are the equivalent of FC United of Manchester whereas the West Coast Eagles are the equivalent of Manchester United.

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[1] Source: Fuell, T. (2009), “Fans doing it for themselves”, Non League [United Kingdom], December, p. 104; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_League_North [accessed 4 November 2016]; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.C._United_of_Manchester [accessed 4 November 2016].

[2] Source: Non League magazine, December 2009 issue, p. 102.

[3] Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.C._United_of_Manchester [accessed 4 November 2016].

[4] Fuell, “Fans doing it for themselves”, p. 104.

Port Adelaide Magpies supporters, Foxtel Cup match versus Claremont, Subiaco Oval, Saturday, 16 July 2011 (attendance: 1,000).

Port Adelaide Magpies supporters, Foxtel Cup match versus Claremont, Subiaco Oval, Saturday, 16 July 2011 (attendance: 1,000).

North Adelaide supporters (SANFL).

South Fremantle Cheer Squad (WAFL) (formed 2002).

OPINION: "How the WAFL could have been saved in 1986 (if anyone had cared)", by Jack Frost, 13/2/2018

How the WAFL could have been saved in 1986 (if anyone had cared), by Jack Frost

Indicative of Western Australia’s “either-or” (not “both-and”) mentality in relation to higher-level sport, no-one in Western Australian football ever seriously suggested in 1986 that the VFL/AFL or the WAFL make any type of reasonable effort to safeguard the WAFL competition’s future. Possible alternative formats never considered include any or all of the following:

(a) playing VFL/AFL games mid-week on Tuesday or Wednesday nights as the National Football League’s Wills Cup was played in the 1970s and how State of Origin rugby-league and Champions League European soccer are played today; and / or

(b) reducing the size of both seasons and playing the VFL/AFL and WAFL seasons one after the other with one running from January to June and the other from July to November similar to how the A-League plays in summer and the state soccer premier leagues in winter or how the “Super 15” rugby competition season finishes several months prior to the finish of the club-based rugby competitions in Sydney and Brisbane; and / or

(c) accepting only extant, traditional club teams into a national league rather than composite teams. This model is more likely to keep the second-tier leagues strong as supporters of the clubs left in the second-tier will be less likely to switch to the national league side than under the composite-club model. You would then have a situation similar, at least in theory, to one Midlands-based club being promoted one division in English soccer (say, Birmingham City) while all the others stayed where they were (Aston Villa, Walsall, etc.) It would not have a great effect on any of the divisions/leagues. My preferred options would have been (a) combined with (c).

If any or all of these ideas had been tried perhaps the WAFL might have larger crowds and a higher profile than it has today. However, we must remember Brisbane Strikers’ soccer player Frank Farina’s comments about Australian sporting crowds. English fans “who support Huddersfield Town in division five will [always] support Huddersfield Town”, according to Farina. In the case of English soccer, in the Blue Square Premier League (the former Vauxhall Conference and fifth-tier of the pyramid), the once strong Football League clubs Cambridge United, Luton Town, and Oxford United averaged crowds of 3156, 6816, and 6376 respectively in the 2008-09 season with the highest crowds for these three clubs being 4870, 8223, and 10613 (up to and including 9 November 2008) (source: Non League magazine [UK], December 2009 edition, p. 42). These are obviously very good crowds for teams playing at the fifth-tier of the pyramid and outside the Football League and are indicative of strong supporter loyalty towards these traditional clubs.

Luton Town’s record average home crowd of 13,452 in 1982-83 (source: Luton Town FC on Wikipedia), when the club played in the then First Division, means that crowds dropped only by 55% between 1982-83 and 2008-09 despite a drop of four tiers. In contrast to English fans, according to Frank Farina, Australian fans will only watch, in any significant numbers, what they perceive to be the premier or the national competition in any sport. This caveat must be borne in mind when considering any of my suggested alternative solutions (a) to (c) above. WAFL crowds have fallen by around 75% since 1986 although the WAFL clubs have effectively dropped down only by one tier if we regard the old VFL, WAFL, and SANFL as having all been on tier-one of the pyramid in the pre-West Coast era. We can compare that decline to the 55% drop off in crowds experienced by Luton Town after it dropped by four tiers.

To buy the book Goodbye Leederville Oval about the WAFL in the 1984-86 period:

Paperback version: http://www.lulu.com/shop/kieran-james/goodbye-leederville-oval-history-of-west-perth-cheer-squad-1984-86/paperback/product-23448563.html

Hardcover version: http://www.lulu.com/shop/kieran-james/goodbye-leederville-oval-history-of-west-perth-cheer-squad-1984-86/hardcover/product-23516768.html
Large-print paperback version (hardcover large-print also available): http://www.lulu.com/shop/kieran-james/goodbye-leederville-oval-history-of-west-perth-cheer-squad-1984-86-large-print/paperback/product-23477328.html

You can also find the book by typing the book title into Amazon.

SUMMARY: This book will allow supporters to relive great teams, great players, and great matches from a wonderful era in WA football 1984-86 before West Coast Eagles joined the expanded VFL.

NEW INTERVIEW: My interview with Mark Whiting (East Fremantle supporter), 13/5/2015, by Kieran James

West Perth cheer squad at northern (city) end goals at Moss Street ground versus East Fremantle, 8 August 1981. Moss Street was always a hostile and intimidating place for away fans and West Perth fans put in a great effort to bring such numbers and passion to Moss Street this late in the 1981 season, a season when neither side made the final-four. The final score this day was: East Fremantle 21.17 (143) defeated West Perth 16.11 (107) and the attendance was 5,175 (source: WAFL Online). 

Kieran James: Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. I know you said to me modestly that "you are only a fan" but this is a website for the supporters and the view of a supporter is very important to us (although apparently not to the WAFL). First of all, can you tell me how you first became an East Fremantle supporter.

Mark Whiting ready for a beer

1) In 1992 I started following East Fremantle as my WAFL club for a few reasons. Main reason was the South African side of my family was mainly Natal Sharks (South African rugby) and that was the main sport I followed before Aussie Rules. East Fremantle also being nicknamed the Sharks and the closest ground I decided to have an interest in them.  However, it was only in 1997 that I decided to act on that interest and started attending matches and closely follow the Sharks.

KJ2: Do you also follow AFL and if yes do you have a favourite team?

2) Only a slight interest in the AFL.  I used to support Fremantle until they briefly aligned themselves with East Fremantle's port rival South Fremantle (around the turn of the millenium). I just couldn't support the Dockers at all, in fact gave away all my dockers gear. So I went looking for the club with the biggest East Freo contingent which at the time happened to be Hawthorn (6 players - Michael Collica, Craig Trelevan, Jonathon Hay, Brendan Krummel, Daniel Chick, Luke McPharlin,  plus the coach, Ken Judge). Remained Hawthorn ever since.

But my interest is only slight. WAFL has the true football feel. You feel like a part of a club, not just another bum on the seat. Go onto the ground at the breaks. No glorified prima donnas, just rough, old style football. And it's cheaper too.

KJ3: The East Fremantle culture of success (and gentlemanly success without rule-bending or excessive violence behind the play) has been an amazing constant factor for the past 100 years and it is remarkable how it still gets instilled in people in these days of the WAFL as a nursery for young players. Growing up in East Fremantle territory in the 1970s we were only too aware of the aura and power that surrounded the club. Even supporters of other clubs gave unconditional respect. In Jack Lee's East Fremantle history book years such as 1975 (when the club finished fifth) were regarded as terrible failures whereas at West Perth fifth spot was not seen as a disgrace or a catastrophe. What are your comments about this?

3) That statement is very true. I believe that amongst fans, officials, and players brought up in the district generally have the notion ingrained that anything less than finals is disappointing for the club. That and the huge investment of time and money put into East Fremantle's football district.

KJ4: What do you think of the move to return to the vertical panels or strips jersey similar to that worn in the 1977 and 1979 Grand Finals? It is now slightly confusing for outsiders at least as to whether the vertical or the horizontal stripes should be seen as the "classic" or "traditional" strip.

4) Going back to the three vertical stripes was a brilliant move. It was originally only intended for a clash strip in the Foxtel Cup. However it proved extremely popular with the fans, so much so that some were forking out $200 to buy one.

I believe that reintroducing it has started some of the younger fans into looking at the history of the club which is great as the more they read into the club's history the more passion they will feel for the club. In addition, the more of the younger generation passionately involved the more chance there is of long-term survival and not only that but the nostalgic feel for the older fans might rekindle some of their lost passion.

KJ5: What caused the current proposed move back to Fremantle Oval (a traditional home ground for Old Easts which is so traditional that no-one alive today can even remember them playing there)? I'm not an Old Easts supporter but I am a little worried that the literal fear that the Moss Street ground engendered in opposition players and fans will be lost. I always associate Moss Street with those bleak grey farm-style sheds at both ends of the ground, grey skies, cold and piercing ocean winds, and of course large defeats at the hands of the host club. What do you think of the move?

5) From what I hear both the City of Fremantle and the South Fremantle Football Club are both in favour of East Fremantle moving back. The City of Fremantle I believe is willing to invest money into the redevelopment of the oval and facilities should East Fremantle decide to move. At the moment there is a feasibility study being done and it should be out in May 2015. East Fremantle will look at it and then decide whether or not to progress. By progress meaning not accepting straight away, but looking further into it, possible vote on the matter, etc.

Personally, I am in favour of the move back to Fremantle Oval. Even though it will be sad to see us leave Moss Street, I believe there is not much of a future left there.

Scoreboard bank at Moss Street

Ground sharing will reduce maintainence costs, and I strongly believe the rivalry between the two port clubs will only get stronger.

Being in a busier area rather than stuck in the middle of an outer suburb will mean more exposure for East Fremantle to the general public, creating more interest and potentially better crowds and sales. Plus with the markets, pubs and restaurants nearby it will be more inviting for fans to attend the footy as a bigger day experience.

KJ6: Here is an important question which few people are asking. It is often said, usually cynically by AFL supporters online, that only the over-35s or over-40s are still passionate WAFL fans. How can we get more under-35s, such as yourself, to passionately support WAFL teams and regularly attend games?

6) I believe the key lies in the parents and other older family members of the under 35s telling them of who they barracked for in the WAFL, past WAFL memories, any family members playing for a team, showing any football memorabilia, but above all must show they have still have an interest in the WAFL and take the under 35s to games.

I am also a strong believer in leaving all public holidays for WAFL matches. That is no AFL matches in WA played on Good Friday, Anzac Day,  Foundation / WA Day. WAFL clubs have more to benefit from public holiday matches than either WA AFL club.

KJ7: What do you think explains East Fremantle's lack of success in the 21st century? Is it due to the suburban zone being trapped by South Fremantle in the south, Perth in the east, and the Swan River to the north plus an aging demographic in many areas in the East Fremantle zone? 

7) I believe it is partially to do with that reason. But as a whole, I am struggling to find an answer.

KJ8: Have you watched any of the premiership DVDs from the WAFL's Golden Era of the 1970s and 1980s?

8) No. I haven't watched any of the premiership DVDs. I might get around to it someday.

KJ9: What does the Fremantle Derby (the only real West Australian football derby) mean to you and to local supporters of both clubs? Accept no imitators.

9) The derby is always a big day for most. It is for most more than just a home and away game but also a chance to get one up on the old foe. The hatred between the two may have waned somewhat over the years but the importance of beating them still remains. It's the whole game day atmosphere of a derby that excites me, especially when it is in Fremantle with the pubs, restaurants, and surrounding streets flooded with people wearing their team colours.

KJ10: Have you got any comments about WAFL Golden Era website?

10) What I enjoy most about this page is that the information researched and topics discussed are unique. Chris Egan's article about the eastern suburbs and sport is a prime example.

KJ11: Thanks so much for the interview and your very insightful responses.

11) Thanks once again for the opportunity.

Another picture of West Perth cheer squad @ Moss Street northern end goals, 8 August 1981.

This picture shows supporters in the famous can bar at Lathlain Park during the last quarter of a Perth versus Swan Districts match, 2 July 2011. The fact that only the guy with the black hair and black-and-grey hoodie in the exact middle of this picture is probably an under-35 points to a problem with the demographic mix of WAFL supporters. What will happen to the WAFL in the future if it cannot attract the Under-35s to the grounds on a regular basis?

ARTICLE: "WAFL Crowd Growth in 2009 comes from Various Factors", by Chris Egan (Perth Glory historian)

Chris Egan (left) is a dedicated supporter of Perth Glory (A-League) and Peel Thunder (WAFL). He is a committed and passionate supporter of WAFL football. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Archeology. He has contributed articles to Austadiums.com. 

Chris Egan (centre) & Glory supporters

"WAFL Crowd growth in 2009 comes from various factors", by Chris Egan (Perth Glory and Peel Thunder supporter and Perth Glory historian) 

Global Financial Crisis is the largest element. The GFC hit Western Australia's mining sector pretty severely. In September 2008 the unemployment rate in Perth was 2.7% the lowest ever in recorded Federation History, by May 2009 it had doubled to 5.2% and the GFC and its surrounding doom atmosphere gravitated around Western Australia. 

With a dramatic cultural shift, 20,000 Mining jobs were lost and it was the growth in Retail from the Rudd Stimulus Package that propped up not just WA's but Australia's economy. 

The resulting impact was that there was more unemployed men in the Perth metropolitan area, and during periods of downturn in Australia's history, they have often turned to sport. With Subiaco Oval's crowds larger in the 2009 season than what they are this year (despite both teams being in far better form) we see the spill-over impact of sold out games and scarcity of tickets flowing through to the WAFL. 

But where the growth in average attendance was, was in the outer suburbs. Subiaco, East Perth and Claremont's growth was far lower than West Perth's, Perth's, Peel, East Fremantle and South Fremantle. 

Come on you Glory boys: Chris Egan and friends

But there was added factors that continued on the crowd growth - Media Attention. Throughout the season the storyline, like the Glory's was about the WAFL's crowds being the highest since 1994, just as the Glory benefited from this free advertising to people in 1996, so did the WAFL. As crowds got larger, so did people hear about the larger attendances. 

But just as the Glory was able to hit a golden spot, so did the WAFL. While crowds at Subiaco Oval had been boosted dramatically by the Rudd Stimulus Package, people also would have shifted from watching AFL on TV to going to watch the WAFL - Due to both sides being in poor form. Western Australian's have traditionally shifted support to teams that are doing well, regardless of the code. 

Indeed there is no football code war in Western Australia, there was no animosity about the Glory's entry by the West Australian, there has been little to none of the eastern states bagging of soccer and indeed the west embraced Glory to such a level that during the summer of 96/97 Glory got the back page over the Hopman Cup and Perth Cup (Writing the History of Perth Glory atm). 

So with a flexible sporting community that follows success, hype and interest...this further boosted the crowds. 

Lathlain Park: great retro ground (respect!)

But 15% growth in a season, has to be seen in context of exciting games, a more even competition (which is how the WAFC accounted for the increased crowds) and the rather fine weather conditions. However there is even more significance to the ability to grow at such a dramatic rate - Town Node infrastructure. 

There was no impediments to crowd growth. Families were not put off by lack of public transport, surrounding eating places, pubs and shopping facilities. A whole day experience could occur and unlike the SANFL which has impediments such as poor public transport, in largely residential areas with no retail foot traffic...WAFL grounds bar East Fremantle and Lathlain are integral additions to their town centres. 

In the 2009 SANFL season the crowd attendance was 260,287 a decline on the previous year's 275,842, so we have to see the factors happening in Western Australia that was not happening in South Australia to facilitate a similar sized growth in attendance. 

- A non-existent mining sector, thus they didn't have a huge unemployment growth

- A stadium that was not facing lock out at AAMI Stadium

- A lag in growth for many years, despite population growth. 

- Poorer infrastructure and more venues in residential regions rather than in town centres

- Lack of media focus on crowds and the promotional aspect the West Australian media went through because crowds had grown unprecedently and the largest since the Dockers came into the competition. 

R.A. McDonald Stand - part of Perth's social history

In terms of why Swan Districts' average went down, they had a crowd of over 6000 for the Anzac Day game in 2008, by 2009 they had just over 2,500 for the game on April 27th. 

Regional breakdown of crowds for 2009 and its increase...are in the mortgage belt, rather than in the wealthier and yuppier Inner City. Mortgage Belt would have been more impacted by unemployment, more unemployed men not working and probably looking after kids during the week while the wife worked and wanted to do something on the weekend. 

Crowds at Leederville and Claremont grew the slowest, East Fremantle had a Foundation Day Derby crowd of over 11,000 which boosted their average, while Sth Fremantle's average were boosted by some very large Friday Night fixtures in the Port City and an ANZAC Day crowd of 5,500

Fine Weather for many of the games also played a factor. 

One of the legacies of 2009, is that Blockbuster top of the table clashes now attract 3000 plus regardless of who are playing in them. This year 3417 for Swans v East Perth and 2863 for Claremont v Est Freo last weekend. 

Peel's crowds in 2009 grew primarily due to their start to the season. Peel won 3 of their first 4 games and by Round 5 they attracted 1966 and Foundation Day weekend they got 2006 against Swan Districts. 

Perth's crowds were boosted by a very good start to the season, with over 3000 for their first three games. Showing the extent of their latent bandwagoners, a literal doubling of crowds from the previous start to the years crowds. 

WAFL comfortable in its own skin: merch store, Lathlain

West Perth's crowds seemed to have grown by the natural factors and they did make the top 4 that season. 

Sth Fremantle made the Grand Final that year, having all teams in the mix for the finals for much of the season also helped. But I think we can't just look at the even season as the reasons behind the massive growth. 

Go to WAFL Online and the crowd figures are simply amazing in terms of the amount of games with over 3000 people that drove the crowd average up. 

9 crowds over 3000....

Anyways, these are thoughts. The extent of the growth can be looked at regionally by good form by a few of the lower clubs, Friday Night Football...but the cultural tradition and history of sporting attendance growth in Australia during periods of unstable economic environment I think was a very strong push factor. 

You could argue that Western Australia got into the downturn after South Australia did the season before when they had 6.8% growth in the 08 season and then a decline from that peak when the WAFL increased by 15%. 

[by Chris Egan]

[Jack Frost's note: This article was originally written in 2009 and originally appeared at Austadiums.com. It was reproduced in its entirety with the kind written permission of Chris Egan.]